The leader of Hezbollah has announced that he welcomes a visit by Pope Benedict XVI.
Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah told a television audience that members of the Islamic militant group hope to participate in the public events during the Papal visit, which begins September 14. "We welcomed the historical visit by the late Pope (John Paul II) and of course the visit by this pope to lebbanon and we will deal with it as a historic visit just like all Muslims and Christians in Lebanon." he said.